British workers left ‘stressed, rundown and depressed’ because they are not taking enough holiday time

Overworked Brits are being left stressed, depressed and rundown because they are not getting enough holiday time, The Mirror reports.

That’s based on research which claims a third of employees are left failing to take their annual holiday allowance.

Men begin to feel burnt out at work four months and one week after their last holiday, but don’t go away for another month.

Women feel they need another break just three months and three weeks after their last holiday.

Worryingly 41% were run-down, 34% felt depressed and another 30% were stressed according to the research by teletextholidays.co.uk.

It found around 3.15 million people forfeited at least three days of annual leave in 2015.

Some 30% of these people are missing out on seven or more days.

And of those who didn’t take all of their annual leave, 32% said they had too much work and 17% didn’t feel they could take time off.

Another six per cent said it’s so stressful coming back to extra work that they don’t see much point going.

Wayne Perks, managing director at teletextholidays.co.uk, said: “Our research has shown that not getting the best value from each day of your annual leave or, leaving it too long between days-off has a knock on effect on people’s wellbeing and career.

“A good spread of get-away breaks every two to three months, both big and small, throughout the year is key to maximising happiness.

“When we are burnt-out, productivity can drop as much as three days per month, so taking a long weekend here and there can increase someone’s overall productivity.”

Mark Cropley, Professor of Health Psychology at University of Surrey, added: “The research found that more than two thirds (68%) don’t get away for short breaks, however mini breaks can be a great way to recharge the batteries, whether abroad or in the UK.

“Not only do they force us to distance ourselves physically from work, they can also give our brains a mental holiday and allow us to spend quality time with family and friends without the distraction of work. By taking regular breaks, you may find yourself becoming more productive and happier in other areas of your life.”

Other findings in the survey are:

More than half of Brits go on a beach holiday abroad (54%) during the year, however less than a third (29%) have a sun getaway during the winter months

When we are run down, depressed or stressed, people feel their work productivity drops by an average of an hour per day

It takes just 1.5 days into a holiday to switch off, with the benefits continuing long after workers return, with a quarter (25%) of people feeling more productive at work after their holiday

Thirteen per cent have earned praise from their boss for impressive work in the four weeks following a holiday and a lucky nine per cent have even secured a pay rise

A third (32%) of Brits found that just booking a holiday boosts their mood

Enjoying the sunshine (42%) topped the list of the best thing about a holiday, followed by experiencing something new (33%), spending quality time with family or a partner (32%) and escaping day-to-day life (32%).